The dedicated students at Carnegie Mellon range from the hard-core engineers to the artsiest of drama students (making it “a breeding ground for interdisciplinary collaboration”); however, the school’s motto—”My heart is in the work”—rings true for all “because of the amount of schoolwork that is required.” The school, envisioned by Andrew Carnegie in 1900, gives students the opportunity to become experts in their chosen field while studying a broad range of course work across disciplines. The difficulty of the classes and high expectations from your professors “push you to do your best work. You really do learn in every aspect of academics.” Though the course work is admittedly “stressful,” the professors “care immensely about their students,” and the “we’re all in it together” mantra is a universal refrain. “Academically, you get challenged, but so does everyone else, so the work-heavy culture becomes a social thing,” says a student. Much as its mission statement promises, CMU “provides excellent preparation for your future, especially the career center.” The residence life staff, RAs, and housefellows are also “really committed to improving the social aspects of college.” For those who know what they want, there are “unlimited opportunities to pursue your passions.” “It is nice to know I will get a good degree, but that it is also unique to me,” says a student.

The Pittsburgh location offers a “safe campus…but it is still within a city that offers many things to do,” including free entry into area museums, “great restaurants, and sports teams.” “Everyone can find a little niche to fit into and thrive in because there are just so many opportunities to take advantage of.” Despite the number of hours spent hitting the books, CMU has a decidedly non-competitive atmosphere: “It’s not about being THE best, it’s about giving the best performance.” Everyone appreciates down time.” The mix of student interests and majors provides a curious but totally harmonious balance at every turn: “Carnegie Mellon is the only place where you will see engineers working while an art installation goes in above their heads.” Most here “have extremely full plates and are very dedicated to a variety of clubs and interests,” but “not everyone is very social.” “They say you get to pick two: sleep, good grades, or a social life,” goes the mantra. Still, in their spare time, “there is a massive video game ‘community,’” and the popular Greek life “is very different here than at a lot of schools, and it is a great way to open up lots of experiences.”

Carnegie Mellon University website: http://www.cmu.edu/​​​​Click here to read more about the Carnegie Mellon University in The Princeton Review. (You may need to log in or create a free Princeton Review account to view.)

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These college profiles are adapted from The Princeton Review's Best 379 Colleges Guide. This guide provides narrative descriptions of schools' academics, student body, and campus life, in addition to other general information. To view these details, you must create a free Princeton Review account.